Sen. Kennedy questions Todd Blanche on California’s Medicaid Program paying for exorcisms

rightwingjournal.com — Senator John Kennedy’s claim that California’s Medicaid program can pay for “exorcisms” spotlights a deeper fight over what taxpayer-funded health care should cover—and who is accountable when the lines blur.

Story Snapshot

• A Senate hearing clip shows an official accepting that California Medicaid covers services Kennedy described, including tribal prayers and exorcisms ^[1][3].
• The same exchange cites coverage for meal deliveries, housing supports, gym memberships, and herbal medicines under Medi-Cal ^[1][3].
• California officials and supporters argue the benefit is “Traditional Health Care Practices,” not exorcisms, for Native communities ^[4].
• The public record presented so far lacks specific claims data or policy text proving a paid “exorcism” service ^[1][3][4].

What Sparked The Debate: A Senate Hearing Exchange

During a Senate hearing, Senator John Kennedy pressed Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche about whether California’s Medicaid program, Medi-Cal, pays for tribal prayers and exorcisms. Blanche replied “I’ll accept that,” while characterizing the referenced items as programs allowed under the Medicaid framework. The exchange also included assertions that Medi-Cal covers meal deliveries, housing supports, gym memberships, herbal medicines, and other nontraditional items. The clip anchors the current controversy but functions as rhetorical questioning, not a policy citation ^[1][3].

Kennedy framed the issue as federal taxpayers underwriting unconventional benefits through California’s program, implying a lax environment for fraud and waste. Blanche agreed generally with Kennedy’s characterizations in the moment, and the discussion expanded to accusations that billions have been stolen from Medicaid over the years. The hearing clip, widely shared online, compresses complex Medicaid design choices into highly charged examples that resonate with public frustration over perceived misuse and elite unaccountability in large government programs ^[1][3].

What California Supporters Say Is Actually Covered

California officials and program supporters counter that Medi-Cal does not reimburse “exorcisms” as such. They say Medi-Cal covers Traditional Health Care Practices approved by the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and defined by each Native American tribe, nation, band, or rancheria. That framing places the services within culturally responsive behavioral health or substance-use care rather than stand-alone spiritual rituals. This rebuttal directly contests the headline claim while acknowledging a category of culturally specific supports exists under Medi-Cal ^[4].

The competing narratives hinge on definitions. Kennedy’s phrasing emphasizes spiritual acts taxpayers should not fund; California’s defense emphasizes culturally grounded practices that federal authorities have allowed under Medicaid’s waiver and managed-care tools. Without the underlying Medi-Cal manuals, waiver approvals, or claim codes, the public cannot easily verify whether any reimbursed service matches a literal exorcism or reflects accepted community health supports. The lack of documentary clarity fuels suspicion on both the right and the left about opaque government programs ^[1][3][4].

What We Know—and What Is Still Missing

The record presented to date shows a confrontational hearing, a public denial that exorcisms are covered, and a broad category of culturally specific services that could be misconstrued or misused. It does not show named providers, dates, amounts, or billing codes for an “exorcism” claim; nor does it display the precise Medi-Cal policy text authorizing the referenced supports. Those gaps matter. Concrete documentation, not a viral clip or a press statement, resolves whether taxpayer funds were spent on the service as described ^[1][3][4].

Louisiana Sen. John Kennedy questions acting AG Todd Blanche on Medicaid spending on 'exorcisms' | https://t.co/XS6oXa7ALb
This is definitely California Stupid!

— Scott Sasse (@sasse_scott) May 21, 2026

This dispute reflects an older Medicaid tension: states can lawfully fund nontraditional supports to improve health outcomes, but those same flexibilities can invite controversy and, at times, abuse. People across the political spectrum who believe elites run unaccountable systems see familiar warning signs—fast-growing benefits, weak transparency, and finger-pointing instead of proof. The next step is verifiable evidence: the state’s written coverage criteria, federal approval letters, and de-identified claims data that confirm what was authorized and what was actually paid ^[1][3][4].

Sources:

[1] YouTube – Sen. Kennedy questions Todd Blanche on California’s …

[3] YouTube – John Kennedy Goes Off on Todd Blanche During Explosive …

[4] Web – Taxpayer spending on ‘exorcisms’ derails Senate testimony

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